Of the project, Kelly shares, “I don’t play country, this stuff is dirt emo. It’s like crying in a barn or angsting in your room with a banjo.”

In addition to “Screaming Infidelities,” the project also includes Kelly’s previously released versions of The Carter Family’s “Weeping Willow” and Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well.” Originally released as an Amazon Original, Kelly’s “All Too Well”received widespread critical praise as well as attention from Swift herself. Of the song, Billboard declares, “Kelly puts his own haunting spin on the track with yearning vocals, delicate percussion and soaring instrumentation,” while UPROXX praises, “…his rendition is a beautiful tribute to the raw emotionality of the original. He makes the song his own with atmospheric instrumentals, replacing Swift’s driving percussion with drums that sound more soft and searching.”

The release of Dirt Emo Vol.1 adds to a landmark year for Kelly, whose full-length debut album, Dying Star, was released last fall on Rounder Records (purchase/stream here). Co-produced by Kelly and Jarrad K, Dying Star landed on several “Best of 2018” lists including Rolling Stone, Paste, UPROXX, American Songwriter and NPR Music, who praises, “Kelly digs down deep on Dying Star to fearlessly put forth a set of songs steeped in emotional twists, turns and complications…This here is powerful stuff.” Additionally, album track “Mockingbird” is nominated for Song of the Year at the 2019 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards.